


To Kids From One to Two-Hundred-Ninety-Two

by BlessedLunatic



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Huge billowy clouds of Christmas fluff, Rumbelle Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-21
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 08:17:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1091669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlessedLunatic/pseuds/BlessedLunatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s Christmas time in Storybrooke!  Rumpelstiltskin is back from Neverland and reunited with Belle – and he’s being on his very best behavior.  Well, he’s trying, anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AU from SE03x10: The New Neverland onward. Pan never switched with Henry. Nothing bad happens and everything is snowflakes and happy times.
> 
> For the lovely loveisamysterytobeuncovered, who prompted snowballs, ring, roses, mistletoe, and snow angels. 
> 
> MERRY RUMBELLE CHRISTMAS!

A tinny rendition of John Williams' Imperial March cut through the silence of the dark bedroom, waking Rumpelstiltskin from a perfectly pleasant sleep. He cast a bleary-eyed glare at the offending noise coming from the cell phone on his bedside table and reached out a hand to snatch it. The ringtone had been Belle's idea of a joke. While he'd been gone she had apparently been devouring every bit of culture from this world - popular and otherwise - that she could get her hands on, and had read every book she could find. Including, it would seem, the user manual to his phone. He'd never bothered, always being perfectly content with the default ring, and now he had no idea how to change it back.

_Speak of the devil_ , he thought as he glanced at the name on the screen. Clearing his throat in an attempt to remove the sleepy gruffness from his voice, he flipped open the phone. "Good morning, B-"

"RUMPLE!" her enthusiastic exclamation cut off his greeting. He opened his mouth to respond, but she continued before he got the chance. "It snowed last night!"

A glance to the window confirmed her observation, and he couldn't help the smile that crept up his face at her excitement. "In December? In Maine? Unheard of!"

"Oh, ha ha. You can cut out the sarcasm, you're not fooling anyone. I can hear you smiling from here."

She'd always been far too good at reading him.

Undeterred, she continued. "It's beautiful, isn't it? I know you don't usually wake up for another ten minutes, but I couldn't wait any longer - I had to call you."

Brow wrinkled in puzzlement, he frowned at the phone. "Yes, it is rather lovely, but, if I might ask, why all the excitement over snow? You've seen plenty of it in the past."

"Because," she dragged out the last syllable for emphasis, "it's supposed to be cold for the next week, and, if it doesn't melt, it means we'll have a white Christmas!"

"Yes, I suppose that will be nice and festive."

"Not just that," she began, sounding a bit hesitant. "It's just...this will be our first Christmas together, REALLY together, and, it may sound silly but...I want it to be perfect."

His heart warmed. "Oh, Belle," he whispered gently.

A pleasant silence settled between them for several moments, before she broke it. "I've got to get ready for work - do you want to meet at Granny's for breakfast?"

"That sounds perfect," he replied, not even trying to hide the smile in his voice, "see you soon."

"Bye!" 

The conversation ended with a beep, leaving Rumpelstiltskin sitting in bed and staring contemplatively at the phone. Their first Christmas. He didn't usually buy into all the hype and festivities, but with Belle he knew it would all feel different this year. He was going to do his best to make it as perfect - to make _himself_ as perfect - as he could for her.

\----------------

Belle shifted in the squeaky vinyl booth at Granny's and leaned slightly against the wall, giving her a better view of the front door. It was silly, perhaps, but she still felt a flutter deep in her stomach whenever she saw her true love, and she wanted to be certain she noticed him at the exact moment he arrived.

They'd been taking things slow since his return from Neverland. When he'd left he had been so certain that he'd not be coming back, but back he was, and with him the son he'd lost, found, lost again, and found again. Something close to contentment had settled around him, and she'd caught him gazing at her with love and wonder on more than one occasion when he thought she was too absorbed in a book to notice. He seemed happy, genuinely happy, and that filled her heart with joy. He deserved to be happy, even if she, and possibly Bae, were the only ones who thought so.

Slow though. Slow was good. Slow _felt_ good. With all that had happened between them - constantly finding each other to just have something else come between them - it was nice to be able to actually settle into a relationship. He'd told her he intended to court her properly, if he could still remember how, which had made her insides turn to warm mush. She had kept her apartment and the independence it represented. He'd taken her out on real dates (that magically hadn't been interrupted...in fact, she wasn't entirely sure that magic didn't have something to do with that). And, independent woman that she was, SHE had asked him out a few times too. She enjoyed this world where she could be what she wanted to be and do what she wanted to do. Where she could proudly take Rumpelstiltskin by the arm in public and defy anyone who thought she shouldn't love him.

The others were still getting used to them. Not many had really understood her misery while he'd been away, and one anonymous person had even gone so far as to slip a note under the library door telling her she was better off without him. She'd not mentioned that to Rumple, of course. He'd been in such good spirits, and she really didn't want to see him go off on a mission to hunt the offender down, as she was sure he'd do. Not for his own sake, of course, but because someone had dared to insult her judgement and ability to make up her own mind. A smile played at her lips at the thought. As though he hadn't ever questioned her judgement himself where he was concerned. She couldn't understand why she was the only one who seemed to be capable of seeing the kind and gentle side of him, but then again, maybe she was the only one who had ever bothered to look.

But things were changing, she thought to herself as she warmed her hands on her coffee mug - _he_ was changing. There were fewer nervous or disapproving glances sent their way, and now when they walked down the street together, there were even a few smiles in their direction.

Belle raised the steaming mug of coffee to her lips to take a small sip, and sighed. Coffee had been another new experience for her. She didn't like it quite as much as iced tea, but it had grown on her. It smelled delicious, but the bitter taste had taken a little getting used to. Once she'd discovered cream and sugar, it had made it infinitely tastier, and now she wasn't certain if she could start a morning without it. A bit like Rumple, she mused, though she doubted he'd appreciate the analogy. The great Dark One, compared to an addictive beverage? Never. She hid a grin behind her mug at the thought.

A glance to the clock on the wall caused her to frown. He was running late. Not that they had ever set an exact time to meet, but she knew how long it took him to get ready in the morning (they'd been taking things slow, but not THAT slow, thank you very much), and how long the trip to Granny's took, and by her math he should have arrived ten minutes ago.

"Hi, Belle!" Ruby greeted cheerfully as she swung by the table with a carafe of coffee in hand. "Need a warm up?"

Belle looked down at her nearly-full mug. "No, I think I'm okay for now, but could I order a cup for Rumple? He should be here any minute."

But Ruby wasn't listening. Belle followed her wide-eyed stare to the doorway, which the object of her musings had just walked through. Carrying a bouquet of red and white roses. That was...unusual, to say the least. The diner suddenly became very quiet.

"Wow," Ruby whispered to Belle, eyebrows raised, "What did he _do_?"

"Do?" Belle replied absently, not taking her eyes off of the man in the doorway.

"A man buys a dozen roses? Either it's Valentine's Day, or he's apologizing for something."

Belle's face crinkled in puzzlement. "He hasn't _done_ anything." 

Rumple made his way over to the booth and slid in across from her. "Hey," he greeted with a shy smile as he set the roses down in front of her. "I heard you say that you needed some more decorations for the library. I thought these would look rather lovely on the circulation desk."

Belle was beaming. "They're beautiful!"

Ruby was staring at the couple, who had obviously forgotten her presence. "You couldn't have just gotten a poinsettia?" 

Two faces, suddenly aware that they were being observed, turned to Ruby - one with a look of patience and embarrassment, the other full of undisguised annoyance.

"Don't you have other tables to serve?" Rumpelstiltskin inquired with a sneer.

"Rumple," Belle chided him gently with nothing more than his name. He sighed, and she smiled at his willingness to appease her. "I think I'll have that warm up now, Ruby, if you don't mind, and I think we'll just have our usual breakfast order...? she glanced at Rumple, who nodded in confirmation. 

With slight hesitation, he made an effort to meet Ruby's eyes and smile - even if it was a slightly pained smile. "Thank you, Ruby," he added politely.

Belle hid another smile behind her coffee mug.

\--

Breakfast passed all too quickly before they needed to leave, and, with a promise from Rumple to stop by the library for lunch, they headed toward the door. Belle paused at the doorway to adjust her scarf, and when she looked up, the eyes of every patron in the diner were fixed on her.

Her _and_ Rumple.

She frowned, and glanced at him inquisitively. He shrugged, clearly as baffled as she was.

"Ahem," Granny cleared her throat to catch their attention. Eyebrow raised, she pointed up, gesturing for them to look above their heads.

Belle frowned again. A sprig of some sort of artificial greenery with little white berries was hanging above the door. She'd just assumed it was part of the diner's holiday decorating. What was so fascinating about that? Beside her, Rumple groaned and muttered something that sounded entirely inappropriate for a family establishment. "What?" she inquired in a whisper.

"It's mistletoe, darling."

"Isn't that...a toxic plant? Why decorate with it?"

"Because," he began, sighing in annoyance, "there's an irritating little tradition in this world of hanging mistletoe in a doorway, and when two people are caught standing underneath it, they're required to kiss."

"Oh." Belle's face suddenly matched her bright red coat. Leaning toward him, she whispered, "with everyone watching us?"

"Yes, that's the general idea."

"Okay, you two!" Granny called out, "pucker up and get on with it - you're blocking the door!"

"Well," Belle smiled and bit her lip teasingly, "I suppose it IS tradition. I'd hate to break it."

"Best not to trifle with traditions,” Rumple nodded. “They do contain powerful magic, after all.”

"Really?" 

"No," he replied as he swiftly lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.

Careful of the roses clutched in front of her, Belle leaned into him as far as she could. Her free hand unconsciously lifted to tangle in the silky hair at the nape of his neck, causing him to let out a muffled sigh of pleasure as he deepened the kiss. Belle smiled around his lips; she'd never get tired of the way her love responded to her touch. His own hands were caressing her back, moving lower, and lower, and…

"A- _HEM!_ " Granny's stern voice shattered the moment. They broke apart, slightly dazed, to find her glaring at them, her hands on her hips. "It's mistletoe, not an invitation to run the bases in public. You keep up with that, and I'll have to charge everyone extra for dinner and a show."

Their sheepish expressions quickly turned to embarrassment as applause, whistles, and whoops broke out among the patrons of the diner. 

Rumple glared menacingly, but his ability to look menacing seemed to have lost its effect. "I should've killed you all when I had the chance," he muttered, but nobody heard him over the racket they were making.

His cell phone chose that very moment to ring, and the applause quickly turned to laughter.

Damn it - his reputation was officially shot straight to hell.

Turning on his heel, he wrapped an arm around a giggling Belle and they quickly retreated out door, the chorus of laughter following them until they reached the sidewalk and were blissfully out of earshot.

"What did she mean," Belle asked, "about 'running the bases?'"

He nearly tripped over his own foot as he suddenly forgot how to walk. "It's a metaphor. I'll, uh, explain later. Much later. When we're alone. In fact, I'll show you."

"Oh," she replied, the glint in her eye telling him she had at least some idea, "I look forward to it."


	2. Chapter 2

The next day found Storybrooke still glistening with piles of fluffy white snow, and Belle’s excitement was contagious. Rumple had somewhat reluctantly agreed to let her decorate the pawn shop, but he most certainly had _not_ agreed to _help_ , stating that it was already too close to Christmas to bother. So how exactly he’d ended up with strands of lights tangled around his arms was a complete mystery. He’d blinked, and somehow he’d been recruited to “hold these.” 

She was a flurry of delight, his Belle, and he doubted very much that any single person had ever so completely embodied the Christmas spirit as she did. After the mistletoe mishap the previous day, she’d made more of an effort to research all the traditions of the season, and was determined to cram as many things into the remaining days as she could manage. The decorating was quite nice, he reluctantly admitted, though the fruitcake she’d attempted last night could use some tweaking, as could her experimentation with different eggnog recipes. Thankfully, the second batch he’d been enlisted to sample contained so much rum that he’d not minded batches three, four, or five.

“Okay, hand me another string,” Belle’s voice called down from her position on the step ladder next to him. 

He dutifully unwound the lights and passed them up to her, then frowned. “Are you certain you don’t want me to do that? I remember your history with ladders.”

Eyebrow raised, she clipped another strand of lights into place and turned to glare down at him with a look that said _do you really want to go there?_ “The incident you’re referring to was, if you recall, entirely unrelated to any clumsiness on my part. _Someone_ \- I can’t imagine who - had stubbornly _nailed the curtains down_ , which made what should have been a simple task into a life-threatening chore, and…are you looking up my skirt?”

“No.” He was.

“…were you looking up my skirt back then?”

“Of course not.” He had maybe taken a quick peek.

“Uh huh.” She grinned. “I imagine the view is a little different now.”

“I wouldn’t know, would I?” He had no idea they even made underthings with little Christmas trees on them.

_______

Two hours later, the decorating was complete. It wasn’t quite dusk yet, but Belle insisted upon switching on the lights to see how they looked. “Come on!” she cried as she took his hand and dragged him across the street.

A row of sparkling clear lights ran along the awning above the shop front. Lighted wreaths hung in each of the windows and on the front door. Inside she had added garlands of greenery along the window sills, with a single electric candle in the middle of each. Rich burgundy bows edged in glittery gold complimented each wreath, and the red berries and gold-tipped pinecones that decorated the garlands caught the light from the candles and sparkled.

Belle gasped in pride and wonder. “It’s beautiful!”

He had to admit that it was. His arm wrapped around her shoulders as hers snaked along his back and settled at his hip. A contented sigh escaped her as she gently leaned her head to rest against his shoulder. Glancing down, he could see her face illuminated by the soft glow of lights, and was instantly mesmerized by the sight. She was breathtaking. Belle’s eyes rose to catch him staring, causing a gentle smile to pull at her lips – a smile he couldn’t help but return. His head lowered as she raised hers – their warm breath mingling in puffs of white in the cool air, their eyes closing as their lips moved closer together…

_BUM BUM BUM, BUM DE DUM, BUM DE DUM_

Rumple cursed as Belle collapsed in a fit of giggles. He fished the offending phone out of his coat pocket and, without bothering to check who it was, angrily flipped it open. “Yes?” he answered, a bit testily. His features instantly softened, giving Belle a good idea of who was on the other end. “Bae! No, no, everything’s fine. You just caught me in the middle of something.” Belle giggled again. “Tonight? I’ll check.” He lowered the phone and covered it with his hand as he turned his attention to her. “Bae wants to know if we’d like to have dinner with him tonight.” 

Belle nodded. “Of course!”

He lifted the pone back to his ear. “Bae? Yes, that sounds lovely. Oh, she will? Hmm. No, no, no, I didn’t mean anything by it; it’s just good to see you two getting along. Stop what? I didn’t say anything, Bae. Of course I know it’s for Henry, I wouldn’t – all right, we’ll see you then.” He flipped the phone closed and grinned as he pocketed it.

“What was all that about?” Belle asked.

“Emma and Henry will also be joining us.” He replied, smirking happily.

“Oh, won’t that be nice? It’s good to see those two getting along. For Henry’s sake, that is.”

“That’s precisely what I said! Somehow he took it to mean I was insinuating something.”

“And of course you would never do that,” she returned a knowing smirk and looped her arm through his.

“Of course not,” he agreed, still smiling. They began to walk back toward the shop to lock up and set the timer for the lights. "Oh, and darling? Could you please put my phone back the way you found it?"

"No," she grinned.

"I have a certain reputation to maintain, you see..."

"Nope!" She cut off his protest. "You had a certain reputation. Now nobody takes your crankiness seriously."

"That's exactly the point I'm trying to make."

"If anything I'm furthering your reputation. What says "Dark One" better than Darth Vader?"

“Something NOT tied to a ridiculous movie franchise!”

Belle stopped and squinted at him. “Have you ever actually seen Star Wars?” His silence must have been answer enough. “The library has all the movies. I’ll be bringing them over soon.”

He knew better than to argue with her. 

“Now let’s go back to the house. I want to make some eggnog to take to dinner.”

“Mm. Make the second recipe, dear.” He had a feeling he might need it.

__________

They opted to walk to Bae’s new apartment since it wasn’t far, and because Belle wanted to enjoy being out at night and seeing all the houses that were decorated for Christmas. With all the snow still on the ground it made for a very beautiful, tranquil evening. Perhaps Rumpelstiltskin was going soft in his old age, or perhaps it was the feeling of Belle’s gloved hand clasped in his, but he couldn’t remember ever seeing a more peaceful sight than Storybrooke lit up for Christmas at night.

They paused to take in a particularly impressive display of lights that blinked in various color patterns, when all of a sudden there was a whirlwind of black and white moving around their legs. Confused, Rumple tried to back away, but found himself somehow bound to Belle. He lost his balance, and, pulling her with him, they crashed to the ground together, landing with a muffled thud in a fresh patch of snow. And, to make matters more confusing, something wet was running over his face.

“Pongo!” a voice called out. “No! Bad dog!”

Rumple pulled himself up unto his elbows to see Archie Hopper running toward them, and the source of their mishap became apparent. Pongo stopped licking his face to let out a joyful bark in greeting, and then sat down to wait for his master, proud of what he’d accomplished. Belle had managed to sit up and wiggle out of the leash that had been wound around their legs.

“I’m so sorry!” Archie apologized as he struggled to catch his breath. “He saw you and broke away from me. I don’t know why he likes to do this, but it’s not the first time it’s happened.”

“He trips people with his leash?” Belle asked.

“Not just anyone. Only couples. He did this to poor David and Mary Margaret last spring. They landed in a mud puddle. I suppose we should all be thankful it’s just snow this time.”

“Just snow?” Rumple huffed. “My suit is soaked! And,” he glanced at the puddle on the sidewalk and the upturned container, “the eggnog is done for.”

“Oh, it could be worse,” Belle shushed him as she held Pongo’s face and scratched behind his ears. “Pongo here just likes to encourage true love, don’t you, boy?” Pongo barked in agreement, and Belle laughed. “It’s all right, Archie, we’ll be fine. The eggnog isn’t even very good. Rumple just pretends it is because it’s full of rum.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but she silenced him with an _I’m on to you_ raised eyebrow.

“I’m really, really sorry,” Archie apologized again as he managed to find the end of the leash, “if there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, just let me know.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I definitely wi-“ The disappointed look on Belle’s face silenced Rumple mid-sentence. He sighed. “Tell you what – just keep this little troublemaker under control, and we’ll call it even.” There was no real malice in his voice, as he too couldn’t resist giving Pongo a friendly pat on the head. “Do we have a deal, Pongo?” He held out his hand as if expecting them to shake on it. Pongo barked and raised his paw to touch Rumple’s hand. He chuckled in surprise. “All right then,” he said as he shook the dog’s paw. “You know I always keep my deals. Make sure you keep your end of the bargain.” It was only his imagination that Pongo gave a quick nod of his head before trotting over to his master’s side.

“Thank you,” Archie said, his kind eyes showing just the slightest hint of the surprise the tinged his voice, “I apologize again for the trouble. I hope you both have a wonderful evening.” He tugged on Pongo’s leash. “Come on, Pongo, let’s leave these two alone now.” 

Once Archie was out of earshot, Belle leaned over Rumple where he was still half-reclined in the snow and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “What was that you were saying earlier about your reputation?”

“I’m not a good man, dearie. I have a very bad, rotten, deplorable reputation.”

“You just made a deal with a dog.”

“Yes, and I expect him to withhold his end of it to the letter, or there will be very real consequences.”

Belle smirked. “Oh, I’m sure.”

He pointed his finger at her face and glared. “Don’t mock this old monster, dearie, or I’ll give you a taste of what I’m capable of.”

Now she was giggling. “I think I’d like to see that, actually.”

“Oh would you? Careful what you wish for!” And with that, he scooped up a handful of snow, patted it into a ball, and tossed it point blank at her chest.

“Hey!” Belle sputtered in protest as she attempted to brush the snow off of her. “Some of that got down my neck!”

“I tried to warn you.”

Belle’s eyebrows raised, and he knew he was in trouble. She scooped up a bigger ball of snow than he had made, and hurled it straight at his head.

He managed to turn at the last second, but yelped as the cold snow hit the back of his head and trickled down underneath his scarf.

Another snowball went flying toward Belle in retaliation, and within minutes they were both laughing and covered in snow as they continued to pelt each other with it like children.

“Okay, truce!” Belle called as she collapsed back down, panting. “I’m too old to do this. And if I’m too old to do this, you’re _definitely_ too old to do this.”

One last snowball hit her and she glared. 

“That was for insulting my age,” Rumple stated as he collapsed next to her.

They gazed up at the clear night sky and watched the stars twinkle in nature’s own light display. They were cold and wet, but neither cared.

“Have you ever made a snow angel?” Belle asked him after a few minutes of silence.

“I can’t say that I have. Why?”

“Oh, just something I read about in a book. It sounded like fun. And since I’m already soaked, I thought I might give it a try.” She sat up and looked around. “I think we messed up the snow too much for it to work, though.”

Rumple was suddenly on his feet. “Stay there,” he gently instructed. She heard the soft thumps of his footsteps moving away from her, and then they abruptly stopped. “Come over here, darling,” he called to her.

She stood up and moved to join him, smiling in delight when she saw the large patch of completely undisturbed snow. He gestured toward it. “I think this will do nicely, what do you think?”

“It’s perfect.” She grinned and kissed him again. “Now, let’s see…” With a glance over her shoulder, she positioned herself where she wanted to land, then flopped backwards into the snow. “Is it working?” she asked as she swung out her arms and legs the way she’d read about.

“I believe so. Do you need me to help you up so you can see?”

“No, I think you should get down here and make one too.”

“Me? I’m no angel.”

“Oh, hush. My angel needs a friend.”

He sighed and gave in. He was doing a lot of that lately. So much for that reputation he’d spent hundreds of years cultivating.

He’d misjudged the distance he’d needed to move though, and their hands ended up bumping together as he swished his arms.

“It’s okay,” Belle smiled as she took his hand. “It’ll just look like their wings are touching. Maybe that’s like holding hands for an angel.”

“Or it means they’re in flight and they’re about to crash.”

She let go of his hand long enough to playfully swat him in the arm, then took his hand again as they pulled each other to their feet.

They surveyed their angels with the bumping wings. “They’re missing something,” Belle declared, her nose scrunching up as she scrutinized the picture in front of her. “Oo! I know!” She began stamping down snow around the two angels, her footsteps precise. When she was finished, she stepped back to inspect her work. “What do you think?”

The angels were now outlined in a slightly lopsided, but easily recognizable, heart. He smiled at her enthusiasm. “They look very happy.”

She beamed up at him, her voice taking on a slightly teasing tone as she stated, “That’s because it’s true love.”

He matched her grin, and ducked his head to gently brush her lips with his own. Straightening back up, he took her arm and led her back to the sidewalk. “I think it’s time we move on. Bae is going to be wondering why we’re late.”

Belle glanced back at the scene they’d made in the snow, and wondered if anyone would guess who had made it. Probably not. Or, she thought, maybe they would, if they happened to spy the little horns on top of one of the angel’s head. Horns that had apparently been put there while she was otherwise occupied with making the heart.

She had pretended not to notice.

__________

They were only slightly past fashionably late by the time they knocked on Bae’s apartment door. Emma answered, took one look at the soaked and disheveled pair, and said “what the hell happened to you two?”

“A matchmaking dog, a snowball fight, and spontaneous snow angels,” Rumple answered, deadpan.

“Fine,” she replied. “Don’t tell me. But take your coats off before you come in here. Neal will kill you if you drip all over the hardwood.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that, dearie.” Rumple grinned, waved his hand, and he and Belle were suddenly completely dry, just in time to greet Bae and Henry as they came out of the kitchen.

Amidst the welcoming hugs, Belle managed to lean over to him and whisper, “you couldn’t have done that before I walked two blocks in soaking wet shoes?”

He knew he’d been forgetting something.


	3. Chapter 3

December 24th dawned dark and chilly. Belle awoke to find a brand new layer of powdery snow coating the rooftops she could see from her bedroom window, and a smile broke out on her face in delight. It would be a white Christmas for sure.

Shivering, she turned and snuggled closer to the warm body next to her, enjoying the way he automatically moved to hold her in his half-asleep state. “Good morning,” she whispered to Rumple as she kissed his stubbly cheek.

“Mm. Morning.” He kissed the top of her head and tightened his arms around her, pulling her closer.

“It’s Christmas Eve.” She sighed happily as she rested her head on his chest. “And it snowed again last night.”

His chest rumbled in a gentle, silent laugh. “You’ll definitely have your white Christmas, then.”

“That’s what I was just thinking,” she replied in a yawn.

The backs of his fingers absently ran up and down the length of her spine as he silently held her. She had started to doze off again, when his quiet voice gently called her name. “Belle?”

“Hmm?” she mumbled sleepily.

“Has this Christmas met your expectations so far?”

Hearing the trepidation in his voice, she raised her head to look at him. His warm brown eyes were wide with doubt, with guilt, with what she could only assume was a fear that _he_ hadn’t been living up to her expectations. Silly man. She gave him a gentle smile, and hoped her eyes showed all the love she felt for him as she gazed into his. “It’s been absolutely perfect.”

His eyes slid shut in relief as a tiny smile tugged at his lips. Taking advantage of the moment, Belle lowered her lips to his, determined to kiss away any remaining doubts he had, even if it took all morning. And as he returned the kiss with fervor, hands sliding up her back to tangle in her hair, she became absolutely positive that it was most definitely going to take all morning.

__________

It was nearly noon by the time the couple settled around Belle’s kitchen table to eat a late brunch. They’d been discussing their plans for the day, and the preparations they needed to make for tomorrow’s dinner.

“What about this evening?” Rumple asked around a bite of toast. “Do you have any plans?”

“None whatsoever,” Belle replied with a knowing smile. “Why do you ask?”

“I thought we could spend a quiet evening in, just the two of us, before all the festivities start tomorrow. I’ll make dinner, and build a fire, and we can spend the evening curled up in front of the warm fireplace. How does that sound?”

“That sounds wonderful.” Her eyes twinkled as she looked to be fighting a grin. “ _Very_ romantic.”

“I can be charming when the occasion calls for it,” he replied, face tinged with the slightest hint of a blush.

She leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose. “I never doubted that you could.”

__________

True to his word, when she arrived at his house that evening she was greeted by the wonderful scent of food with just a hint of smokiness from the fireplace. It smelled warm and cozy and comforting, just as she suspected Christmas was supposed to smell. He hung up her coat and gently took her hand to lead her into the living room where she could survey the space he’d prepared.

A thick down comforter had been spread out on the floor before the fireplace, with various cushions and pillows piled high around it. The fire crackled pleasantly – the flickering flames giving a gentle glow to the room. Candles had been lit on the mantel and on the small tables in the room, adding to the ambient light. On the floor next to the blanket sat several trays piled with assorted cheeses, crackers, fruit, bread, and what looked like thinly sliced ham.

“I thought perhaps a light dinner tonight, since we’ll have a feast tomorrow. But if you want to sample some of what I’ve made for tomorrow, it’s all cooling in the kitchen.”

“So I smelled,” Belle smiled as she closed her eyes and inhaled. Exhaling with a blissful sigh, she opened her eyes to find him gazing at her in wonder. “Mmm, it all smells so delicious. I’ll wait until tomorrow though. The anticipation will make it taste even better.” Nodding her head toward the trays he’d prepared, she added, “this looks perfect. Sort of an indoor picnic.”

“I thought you would approve, seeing as how our last attempt at a picnic got interrupted.”

She sighed at the memory. “No interruptions allowed tonight,” she said, firmly. “This is _our_ night.

“Absolutely no interruptions. I locked the door behind you.”

She moved to stand in front of him, her arms sliding up his chest to wrap around his neck. “Good,” she said, her eyes full of humor. “I intend to have you all to myself tonight.”

“Mm,” he made a noise of agreement. “I intend to let you.”

Their lips met in a gentle kiss that quickly turned passionate. Hands began to wander under clothing as lips moved to tease and taste. Rumple gently nipped the smooth skin of Belle’s earlobe, eliciting a soft gasp and an answering little bite to his neck. For several long minutes the only sounds in the room were their soft sighs of pleasure as the two lost themselves in each other.

_DING DING DING DING!_

The oven timer cut through their haze of passion and broke the moment. Rumple groaned and reluctantly pulled away from Belle. “Well,” he said, breathlessly, “I suppose the pies are done.”

“You’d better go take them out then, hadn’t you?” Belle replied as she too struggled to catch her breath.

With one last quick brush of his lips against hers, he moved to the kitchen.

Curious, Belle followed. Laid out on the counter were several glass dishes filled with various culinary concoctions. He’d told her earlier that he planned to make most of the side dishes in advance, so that all he’d have to do is heat them up before everyone arrived. He’d taken on the task of cooking the bulk of the meal, stating that it had been too long since he’d had a reason to cook for anyone but himself. It all looked delicious. She was impressed.

Even more scrumptious-looking were the two pies he was busy removing from the oven. One was obviously pumpkin, and the other appeared to be apple. He set them down on a rack to cool, then took off his oven mitts and moved to check the side dishes Belle was standing by. “These are cool enough now to go into the refrigerator, I think,” he stated as his hand hovered over the top of the dish.

Belle made a quiet hum to acknowledge he’d spoken, but she wasn’t really paying attention. Her gaze was still fixed on the pies. Rumple noticed, and moved to stand in front of her, blocking her line of vision. “Tomorrow, love,” he said with amusement as he gently tapped his finger on the end of her nose. “Anticipation will make it all taste even better, remember?”

She glared at the way he used her own words against her, and he smiled. “Go on,” he gently placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her toward the living room. “Go and make yourself comfortable. I’ll finish putting things away, and I’ll join you in a moment.”

With one last longing glance at the pies, she sighed and acquiesced.

_________

Their modified indoor picnic turned out to be a wonderful idea. The food was delicious, and the fire cozy, and before long they had moved on to feeding each other bits of fruit from the tray. Belle had never thought of food as being particularly sensual before now, but there was something about the way Rumple’s eyes flashed as his lips closed around the strawberry slice in her fingers that sent her pulse racing. Soon the food had been abandoned altogether as they found the taste of each other to be much more appetizing. Several long moments passed while they kissed leisurely, knowing they had all night to enjoy one another.

Rumple shifted backward to lean against a pillow, and his lips stilled.

“What’s wrong?” Belle asked, still nipping at his bottom lip.

“Nothing, nothing,” he assured her. “I just remembered…” his arm reached around behind the pillow, searching. “Ah, there it is.” He brought his hand out from behind the pillow, and in it was a small wrapped box. “I have a present for you.”

Belle frowned. “But I thought…”

“We agreed to save our presents for tomorrow, yes,” he finished her thought. “But this one is different.” He seemed almost hesitant. “It’s… _special_. I wanted to give it to you in private.”

Belle sat up and accepted the box, turning it over in her hand curiously. “What is it?”

He smiled softly, eyes twinkling. “Why don’t you open it and find out, sweetheart?”

She carefully tore at the paper, peeling it away to reveal a small velvet box. With a glance up at his shining eyes, she lifted the lid and softly gasped.

It was a ring. Nothing overly fancy – there were no diamonds or jewels of any kind – it was simple yet extremely delicate in design. Two bands of fine gold – one yellow, one white – lay parallel to one another around the back of the ring. But in the front, the two bands combined into an intricately woven knot that made up the focal point of the piece. She ran her finger over the delicate gold, suddenly understanding what she was looking at.

“Did you make this?” she gasped as she met his eyes – eyes that were wide and full of hope.

“Yes,” he nodded, shyly. “I still spin sometimes. It helps me think. And I…I wanted to give you something personal. To…use my magic for something good.” He swallowed nervously. “The design is known as the ‘Lover’s Knot,’ or, sometimes, the ‘ _True_ Lover’s Knot.”

She beamed up at him, unshed tears of joy in her eyes, as his words sank in. “It’s beautiful,” she sighed. She removed the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger. “It’s _perfect_.”

He timidly shifted a bit, fingers shaky as he took her hand and gently ran his thumb over the ring. “It…it doesn’t have to mean anything you don’t want it to, or anything we’re not ready for,” he assured her, clarifying his intentions. “It’s simply a symbol of our bond – of our love – and, I know I’m not the easiest man to love, but I just want you to know, that…I’ll be yours, for as long as you want me.”

Her watery gaze met his own, her face glowing from more than just the firelight. “If I recall,” she choked out, voice thick with emotion, “I once promised you forever. How does forever sound?”

A wide smile split his face as his eyes slipped shut, taking in and savoring the moment. When they opened again, there were tears slowly spilling from the corners. “That sounds…perfect.”

She moved to kiss him, tasting the salt from his tears on his face. “Thank you,” she whispered against his lips, “thank you for making these past few days so wonderful. I know Christmas isn’t something you get excited about, but thank you for indulging me and helping to make our first real Christmas something to remember.”

“For you,” he replied as he gently cupped her face in his palm, “I’ll do anything.” He smiled, his eyes shining with love. “Merry Christmas, Belle.”

“Merry Christmas, Rumple.”

Outside the window, unseen by the couple as they became otherwise occupied, snowflakes began to gently fall.

 

_The End_


End file.
